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Acne study reveals genes for hair follicles are partly to blame

THE discovery that variants of genes influencing hair follicles may have a link to acne could lead to new treatments.

That’s the hope of a team, led by Jonathan Barker at the National Institute for Health Research, UK, that studied the DNA of 27,000 people, including more than 5000 with severe acne. They found genetic differences that were more common in those with acne.

Barker and his colleagues found that many of these differences were in genes that influence hair follicle formation and activity. There have been few advances in acne treatment for decades. Barker hopes the genetic clues …